Today there are a significant number of attractive window coverings and treatments available to the consumer. At one time, however, the offerings were limited to traditional window coverings, i.e., curtains, draperies, shades and venetian blinds. While the traditional offerings are still prevalent, many newer designs offer greater functional value and aesthetic quality. Indeed, the functional limitations associated with traditional window coverings have led to the design of new and unique alternative window coverings.
A weakness associated with traditional venetian blinds is their poor insulation value. Also, the unsightly vertically displaced control cords of traditional venetian blinds negatively influence their aesthetic presentation. Yet, an advantage of traditional venetian blinds is their variable view-through and light control capability.
Partly in response to the limitations inherent in the structures associated with traditional conventional window coverings like venetian blinds, fresh window coverings and treatments, such as multi-cellular shades, were developed and welcomed by consumers. In the broad sense, a cellular shade is a pleated window covering having a plurality of cells arranged adjacent to one another. The adjacent cells are bonded at their edges to form a complete sheet for the window covering. These multi-cellular shades provide significant insulating value, uniform light diffusion and a desirable aesthetic presentation, but they typically have no view-through capability. Unlike traditional venetian blinds, which provide easy modulatable view-through and light control by simply adjusting the orientation of the horizontally disposed slats or vanes, traditional multi-cellular shades are not capable of separating the plurality of cells, thus preventing a view-through option. Therefore, in order for a person to see through a window which is outfitted with a traditional multi-cellular shade, it is necessary to collectively raise and gather the plurality of cells, i.e., raise the entire window covering. However, raising the whole cellular window shade is laborious and time consuming.
In light of the advantages of venetian blind and multi-cellular window shades, the ideal wind treatment would provide the characteristics of both, i.e., a window treatment having excellent insulation value, adjustable light-control, modulatable view-through, and light diffusion, all together with an aesthetically pleasing presentation. Thus, a need exists for a window covering which can combine all of the these functional advantages into an easily and readily manufactured window covering. The structure of the present invention solves the above dilemma.